Theme II   New freight transport by rail

Contents of this page:

1. An explanation of the terms used for goods trains

  1.  The block train, also block train
  2.  The single wagon train

2. A description of the status quo in the freight station or the train formation facility

3. A look into the future

4. New ideas with today's techniques

5. Small freight stations (as also on the page "New commercial areas")

1 An explanation of the terms for goods trains

(This may only apply in Germany)

1.1 The block train, also block train

Wikipedia writes

is a goods train that runs from the origin to the destination station as a unit (same wagon types, same consignor and consignee), possibly with organisational or operational intermediate stops. This makes block train transport faster and more cost-effective than single-wagon transport. The railway can thus express its system advantages in comparison to lorries and partly also to inland waterway vessels.

Block train transport is not considered here, as no major improvements are possible here.

 

1.2 Single wagon transport

Wikipedia writes about this:

This type of transport is named after the fact that single wagonload goods trains are made up of freight wagons from different consignors and consignees. The transport from one consignor to one consignee therefore requires that the individual wagons or groups of wagons are transported with the help of different trains and are regrouped between them with the help of shunting manoeuvres, especially in marshalling yards (train formation facilities). Freight wagons are picked up in sidings, freight yards or loading sidings. If loads of several consignors or consignees are transported within one wagon, single wagon traffic is part of general cargo traffic.

Single wagon operation is considered because there are many possibilities for improvement here.

 

2. Description of the situation in the freight yard or the train formation facility

This video shows how the wagons are used and worked on today in single wagon transport.

What is special are the employees who uncouple and uncouple the wagons, as well as the time needed for this work. The physical strain is enormous.

 

It's a bit frightening when you look at the techniques used in the logistics sector. 


A crucial point here is that some of the wagons remain in the marshalling yard for about 8 hours from arrival to departure.

3. The view into the future is already there

This video from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) shows that others have already found this future. Here, too, there is the intelligent freight wagon and fast train formation.  


4. New ideas with today's techniques

The aim is to

1. to bring the above-mentioned waiting times of the freight wagons from 8 hours to less than 30 minutes, and

2. to relieve the employees from the physical hard work.

 

Contents of the video for single wagon operation:

1. prerequisites:  Coupling, transfer cars, transfer car technology, new freight cars,

2. freight station in single wagon operation,

3. solution 1 description and simulation,

4. solution 2 description and simulation,

5. conclusion and possibilities,

6. journey time comparison,

7. possibilities for new transport routes,

8. a siding for an industrial estate,  


5. Small freight stations (as also on the page "new industrial estates")

The new freight stations or train formation facilities described cannot be built everywhere and the lorry should not have to travel so far, max. 50 km to the next freight station. Therefore, small simple freight stations are necessary. Building these small freight stations over the existing tracks or over a small passenger station saves a lot of space and facilitates lorry traffic by rail. In this way, sidings for truck traffic could also be made possible in rural areas.

 

Here are two videos of my own:


This project from China, which was created by German companies, shows that we as humans can create almost limitless technologies.

The largest lift in the world.


Here is the cut-out from the aircraft carrier:
USS Gerald R. Ford:
The Ford-class is the first new aircraft carrier design in 40 years. Instead of cables, the new lifts will be "controlled by electromagnetic, linear synchronous motors", the Navy explained in a press release. This, it said, will allow for faster and therefore more extensive transport of ammunition - up to 24,000 pounds (just under 11,000 kilograms) at 140 feet per minute (just under three kilometres per hour)



If you find any errors, we are grateful for any advice.